April 8, 2010

HOLLYWOOD DIRT OVERFLOW

CHECK OUT TIGER WOODS' NEW NIKE AD . . . IN WHICH TIGER'S DEAD FATHER ASKS HIM IF HE "LEARNED ANYTHING":

TIGER WOODS' new Nike ad hit the web yesterday. It's just a black-and-white clip of Tiger standing there, as a recording of his DEAD FATHER'S VOICE speaks to him. --EARL WOODS tells his son, quote, "I want to find out what your thinking was, I want to find out what your feelings are, and did you learn anything?" --Nike says, quote, "We support Tiger and his family. As he returns to competitive golf, the ad addresses his time away from the game using the powerful words of his father." (--Check it out here . . .)http://www.tmz.com/videos?autoplay=true&mediaKey=ebdb4949-d2c6-42cb-b2c8-eba3412b3603--Meanwhile, Augusta National Chairman Billy Payne met with Tiger when he arrived for the Masters on Sunday. --He wouldn't say what they discussed, but at his own press conference yesterday, Payne said, quote, "It is simply not the degree of his conduct that is so egregious here. --"It is the fact that he disappointed all of us, and more importantly, our kids and our grandkids. Our hero did not live up to the expectations of the role model we saw for our children." --He added, quote, "Is there a way forward? I hope yes. I think yes. But certainly, his future will never again be measured only by his performance against par; but measured by the sincerity of his efforts to change. --"I hope he now realizes that every kid he passes on the course wants his swing, but would settle for his smile." (--The Masters Tournament kicks off TODAY. Tiger's tee time is 1:42 P.M. Eastern . . . and you can watch it on ESPN, starting at 4:00 P.M. Eastern.)


SANDRA BULLOCK AND JESSE JAMES ARE REPORTEDLY COMMUNICATING . . . THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE:

RadarOnline.com says that SANDRA BULLOCK and JESSE JAMES are communicating . . . but only through other people. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Sandra and Jesse spoke once when he left rehab. But the majority of communication has been through intermediaries. They've been passing messages back and forth." --That doesn't mean they're getting back together, though. RadarOnline says Sandra is still furious, and she, quote, "feels no obligation to him."

QUINTON AARON LIKED JESSE JAMES WHEN HE MET HIM:

SANDRA BULLOCK'S "Blind Side" co-star, QUINTON AARON, says he actually LIKED JESSE JAMES when he met him . . . quote, "I didn't meet him until the premiere. He seemed like a real cool guy . . . real loving. --"They seemed like the perfect couple when I met them. I had a lot of respect for him." --Apparently, after everything that's happened, he STILL feels that way. (???) He says, quote, "From what I know, Jesse's a real cool guy. Sandra's a real awesome individual. So my prayers go out to them for everything they're going through."


TIKI BARBER'S WIFE IS PREGNANT . . . AND HE'S LEAVING HER FOR A 23-YEAR-OLD BLONDE:

Yesterday, we heard that former Giants running back and "Today Show" correspondent TIKI BARBER had split with his wife of 11 years. Well, more details have emerged . . . and it looks like Tiki's got some damage control to do. --See, Tiki's wife Ginny is eight months pregnant. With TWINS. --And he's leaving her for ANOTHER WOMAN. A younger woman. She's 23. And blonde. Tiki just turned 35 yesterday. --Tiki's new action is Traci Lynn Johnson, an intern at NBC. --Ironically, Tiki has spoken in the past about his anger toward his own, cheating father. In 2004, he told the "New York Post", quote, "I don't give a (crap) that the relationship didn't work. --"Not only did he abandon [my mother], I felt like he abandoned us for a lot of our lives. I have a hard time forgiving that."


CHECK OUT BRISTOL PALIN'S ABSTINENCE PSA:

BRISTOL PALIN . . . America's most treasured unwed teenage mother . . . recorded a new public service announcement about ABSTINENCE. --She urges kids not to have sex because . . . well . . . most of them aren't as well off as she and her family are. --She says, quote, "What if I didn't come from a famous family? What if I didn't have their support? What if I didn't have all these opportunities? Believe me, it wouldn't be pretty. --"Pause before you play." (--She starts out standing in a well-furnished room with nice clothes on herself and her son, and at the end of the "what ifs" she and Tripp are left in a bare room, wearing little more than t-shirt and jeans. Check it out here . . .http://www.usmagazine.com/momsbabies/news/video-see-teen-mom-bristol-palin-urge-teens-not-to-have-sex-201074(--Some people are calling this ad hypocritical . . . since Bristol did NOT pause before SHE played, but now she's telling everyone else that THEY have to. (--Others say she's sending the message that she had leeway to mess around because of her money . . . and she's warning people who aren't as well off that they aren't allowed to have that same wiggle room.) (--But let's not let politics muddy the message here. Bristol made a mistake. And she's trying to help other kids NOT make that same mistake. Why try to turn that into something negative?) (--As far as the whole "What if I didn't have" thing . . . well, it's true. A lot of teens who get pregnant DON'T have the financial or emotional support that Bristol has. But her message is aimed as much at those who DO as those who DON'T.) (--So really . . . whether you think Sarah Palin is an archangel or the Antichrist . . . and whether you think abstinence works or not . . . let's not forget that not EVERYTHING has to be political.) (--Teens not getting pregnant. Sounds like a worthwhile message to me. Some stuff just makes sense no matter who's palm it's written on.)


ROBIN THICKE AND PAULA PATTON HAVE A NEW BABY BOY:

Singer ROBIN THICKE and his insanely hot wife, PAULA PATTON, have a new baby boy. Paula popped the kid out on Tuesday. They named him Julian Fuego. ((--Paula played Ms. Rain in "Precious", and Robin is the son of TV SUPERSTAR ALAN THICKE . . . so really, what else does he need to accomplish???) (???)


IS RIHANNA ENGAGED???

This probably ISN'T true, so don't get too excited: "Sister 2 Sister" magazine says that RIHANNA and Los Angeles Dodger MATT KEMP are ENGAGED. --A so-called "source" says, quote, "Matt surprised Rihanna last week when he approached her and asked for her hand in marriage. --"She said yes, but also relayed the message of feeling that this may be too soon and a long engagement should follow."


NICOLAS CAGE'S BEL-AIR MANSION WENT UP FOR AUCTION YESTERDAY . . . BUT THERE WERE NO TAKERS:

NICOLAS CAGE lost one of his homes yesterday. His Bel-Air mansion . . . which had gone into foreclosure . . . went up for auction yesterday. There were no takers. --The bidding opened at $10.4 million, and this is a property Cage once tried to sell for $35 million. Cage owed about $17 million on the property. --The place has HUNDREDS of comic book covers framed and hanging on the walls . . . model train tracks running a few feet below the ceiling through several rooms . . . a central tower . . . a custom wine cellar . . . and a 35-seat home theater. --The bank also foreclosed on two adjacent properties Nic owned in Malibu. Those also went on the block yesterday . . . but again, there were no takers. (--Cage is suing his former business manager for $20 million . . . claiming the guy led him to FINANCIAL RUIN.)


MEGAN FOX AND BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN DID A "FUNNY OR DIE" VIDEO ABOUT SCHOOL FUNDING CUTS IN CALIFORNIA:

MEGAN FOX and her boyfriend, BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN, did a video for FunnyOrDie.com about school funding cuts in California. --It's kind of funny . . . but it's also got a serious message, so it's not HI-larious. (--You can check it out here . . .)http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/7d5ec0278e/megan-fox-is-hot-for-teachers


JESSICA SIMPSON WAS PHOTOGRAPHED WITHOUT MAKEUP FOR THE NEW ISSUE OF "MARIE CLAIRE" MAGAZINE:

JESSICA SIMPSON allowed herself to be photographed without makeup and without the aid of Photoshop, for the new issue of "Marie Claire" magazine. --It's all part of her new "A Beautiful Me" program . . . which she's launching next month to encourage young women to be happy with who they are. --She says, quote, "I don't have anything to prove anymore. What other people think of me is not my business." --She adds, quote, "If I'm in a mood to go out and feel hot and sexy, I want long hair that I can feel on my back. But I also like bed head."


MARTINA NAVRATILOVA HAS BREAST CANCER:

Legendary tennis star MARTINA NAVRATILOVA announced yesterday that she has breast cancer. But she said it was diagnosed early and her prognosis is excellent. --Martina was diagnosed in February. She said, quote, "I cried. It knocked me on my ass, really. I feel so in control of my life and my body, and then this comes, and it's completely out of my hands." --Martina had the tumor removed, and will begin six weeks of radiation therapy next month. --Martina would also like to remind women to get screened regularly for breast cancer . . . quote, "I went four years between mammograms. I let it slide. --"Everyone gets busy, but don't make excuses. I stay in shape and eat right, and it happened to me. Another year and I could have been in big trouble."(--Here's video . . .)http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2010/04/martina-navratilova-calls-breast-cancer-diagnosis-her-personal-911


CHECK OUT THE TRAILER FOR "DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS":

The trailer for the upcoming STEVE CARELL / PAUL RUDD comedy "Dinner For Schmucks" hit the web yesterday. The movie comes out in July. (--Check it out . . .) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ4i_woBTF8


JON GOSSELIN *HAS* FILED FOR PRIMARY CUSTODY OF HIS CHILDREN:

Well, it happened. Yesterday, JON GOSSELIN'S appropriately named laywer, Anthony F. List, went to a Pennsylvania court and filed papers asking for a judge to grant Jon primary custody of his eight children. --Earlier this week, List explained that Jon was simply FORCED to make this move because KATE GOSSELIN had become a, quote, "absentee mom." --That's in reference to her gig on "Dancing with the Stars" and her upcoming reality series on TLC, which is still in development. Those things, which are JOBS, currently make Kate less available to care for their children than Jon, who's unemployed. --Jon is also asking a judge to reevaluate the terms of his child support. He's paying Kate $20,000 a month, and it sounds like he believes Kate should be paying HIM. --The court papers also argue that Kate, quote, "abuses" their custody agreement . . . and doesn't fulfill her obligation to document the money she spends on the kids. --Kate reportedly flies from L.A. back home to Pennsylvania every weekend, but List says that isn't enough. He says, quote, "You can't be a coast-to-coast primary parent." In her absence, she has an "army of nannies" taking care of the children. --Meanwhile, List also tells TMZ that both he and Jon have been voting for Kate on "Dancing with the Stars". (???) (--Well, that's interesting. It sure sounds like there's a motive in that . . . since her success would keep her away LONGER.)


TEAM KATE SAYS JON GOSSELIN IS ONLY GOING AFTER HER FOR MONEY:

KATE GOSSELIN'S attorney, Mark Momjian, has read through JON GOSSELIN'S court filing for primary custody of the children . . . and he's not impressed. In fact, he describes it as, quote, "incoherent" . . . and "pathetic." --He adds, quote, "[Jon has] never questioned her ability to provide for their children." --And not surprisingly, he believes Jon is creating this whole dust-up over money . . . because Kate is out trying to support her family, and Jon's bank account is dwindling. --Momjian tells RadarOnline, quote, "I don't want to speculate too much on Jon's motivation but I do think it's obvious that he seems to time his issues regarding the kids to when Kate is doing well. I mean, let's look at this . . . --"He pulled the plug on ['Jon and Kate Plus Eight'] when Kate was doing well with the kids. And now that Kate is on 'Dancing with the Stars' and pulling in 20 million viewers he decides to try to amend the custody. Is that a coincidence? --"Do I think his motivation is the children's best interest. Squarely no." --For what it's worth, a "source" tells RadarOnline that Jon himself was an "absentee parent" up until recently. Supposedly, he went WEEKS without seeing the kids while he was dating some chick named Morgan Christie, who has since dumped him. --Momjian also addressed the childcare situation back in Pennsylvania. --In the court filing, Jon said he should be allowed to stay at the guesthouse on the property, and that Kate recently booted him and replaced him with three nannies. -Momjian said that since the house was awarded to Kate, she can do whatever she wants with it. He adds that she allows Jon to stay at the guesthouse while she's there, but he was asked to leave while she was out of town filming "Dancing". --It's unclear where Jon is currently staying. Momjian says, quote, "I don't even know where Jon lives! He doesn't even list an address in the court filing." --Jon . . . again, according to RadarOnline's sources . . . is currently living with his brother somewhere, and he isn't too thrilled with that arrangement. But that may be his only option for now, since he's running out of money. --A so-called "source" says, "The truth is Jon is going broke. He hasn't had a steady job since 'Jon and Kate' went off the air. His cash is disappearing quickly." --Kate is reportedly making $200,000 for her appearance on "Dancing" . . . and has more checks coming with her upcoming TLC show. As for Jon, it was his decision to end "Jon and Kate" . . . and now he's apparently applying to be a full-time mooch.


A FEW DETAILS ON KATE GOSSELIN'S NEW TLC SHOW:

KATE GOSSELIN'S new TLC reality show will be called "Twist of Kate" . . . and it'll involve her giving advice to other mothers who have been inspired by her plight.--Kate says, quote, "I want to be out there learning from others, helping to provide insight whenever I can, though I don't consider myself an expert on anything." --The show will involve her reading and answering "fan letters" from other women, and visiting "the homes and workplaces of everyday people." It's expected to premiere late this summer.


HUGH HEFNER WON'T ASK KATE GOSSELIN TO POSE FOR "PLAYBOY":

For whatever reason, someone recently asked HUGH HEFNER if he'd be interested in having KATE GOSSELIN pose for "Playboy". He responded, quote, "No! No! I don't think she's a celebrity." (--Amen.)


EVA LONGORIA IS "REALLY CONFUSED" OVER NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN'S "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES" LAWSUIT:

EVA LONGORIA was apparently BLIND-SIDED by NICOLLETTE SHERIDAN'S $20 million lawsuit against "Desperate Housewives" creator MARC CHERRY . . . but she would like to figure out what's going on. -In a radio interview . . . (--with RYAN SEACREST) . . . Eva started off by saying, quote, "I don't know any of the details." And then, she dropped some details. --She said, quote, "I do know that . . . it's true, obviously it is true, [Nicollette] is doing it. I know that they did have a thing on set . . . I guess it was a couple of years ago. --"It's so long ago, the actual incident, and I wasn't on set when it happened. But apparently this incident had happened, and she felt it was wrong. I am trying to get the dirt here on set, but no one's allowed to talk about it." --And then, she went on to talk about it. (???) --She said, quote, "That something, um, happened on set regarding, um, them doing a scene. She was doing a scene, and something that he . . . he was showing her how to do a scene. Honestly, I wish I knew." --And then, she went on to say that she knew who WOULD know what happened. --She OUTED her then co-star NEAL MCDONOUGH . . . who she said was the only other actor on the set at the time of the alleged incident. (--Somewhere, Neal is cursing Eva's name . . . and wishing she'd just shut her freakin' trap!!!) (--Neal played Edie's psycho husband. His character got violent with her after she found out he only married her as part of a plan to kill Mike and Susan.) (--That's probably the scene Eva's talking about. Which makes sense, considering Nicollette's suing Marc Cherry for ASSAULT AND BATTERY.) --Eva also did a little blanket DAMAGE CONTROL . . . quote, "[Marc is] funny and sweet and really probably could not harm a fly. He's just so sweet. Nicollette's a sweet girl, too. I'm really confused about this whole thing. --"That's a big lawsuit . . . it's a big deal. I love the show so much I would hate for anything to really tarnish the reputation of [it]. I really would like all of it to go away." (--You can hear some audio of this from Seacrest's radio show, here . . .)http://tmz.vo.llnwd.net/o28/newsdesk/tmz_audio/040710_eva_longoria_1-2.mp3--Meanwhile, a "source" tells RadarOnline that all the ladies on "Desperate Housewives" secretly support Nicollette . . . but they're afraid to speak out against Marc, because he might bump off their characters, too. --The source says, quote, "They're all silently behind her . . . [but] it's unlikely that anyone will step forward to support Nicollette . . . their characters are all still alive on the show, and they have a lot more to lose than she does." --And yet another "source" says that the REAL story is that Nicollette was canned because, quote, "She didn't know her lines." (???)


SCANDAL ALERT!!! IS MAX WEINBERG SECRETLY ON TEAM LENO?

This seems EXTREMELY hard to believe, but it's making the rounds online . . . so we might as well just get it out there. --Movieline.com claims they have so-called "sources" telling them that CONAN O'BRIEN'S longtime bandleader MAX WEINBERG wants to jump ship . . . and join JAY LENO on "The Tonight Show". --There IS an opening there, because Leno's bandleader KEVIN EUBANKS is planning on leaving late-night TV to do his own thing. --There isn't any REAL proof . . . but this "source" claims that Max has always wanted to be the "Tonight Show" bandleader. And his brief time doing it for Conan just wasn't enough. --Another piece of "evidence" is that a few members of Max's band are taking part in Conan's upcoming comedy tour . . . but Max is not. (--We'll keep you posted.) --Speaking of Team Conan, SLASH is a member. He proudly and BRAVELY wore a "Team Coco" pin while performing on "The Tonight Show" on Tuesday night. It's unclear whether or not Jay noticed. (--Here's a picture . . .)http://tcs.wisebrother.com/tcstodaysTcs/fullArtShow/4498?cid=2603


CHRISTOPHER MELONI *ISN'T* LEAVING "LAW & ORDER: SVU":

CHRISTOPHER MELONI . . . who plays Detective Elliot Stabler on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" . . . has denied a story saying that he was leaving the show. (--That's AFTER Season 12 . . . which will air NEXT year.) --He tells "Us" magazine, quote, "It's lies. All lies. No." --The initial report . . . published back in February in Australia's "Courier-Mail" newspaper . . . quoted him as saying: "I think 12 years is enough, a good number. --"The writers will have fertile ground to figure out how to arc [my character] out to another place . . . whether it's this world or the next." --But now, Christopher is attempting to clarify his remarks. He says, quote, "What I said was 'When your contract is done . . . that will be the end. Because when your contract is done, it's usually the end. --"But when [producers] come back to me, you know, we can always talk.' I couched it incorrectly. It wasn't [the reporter's] fault." --He also said that, at least for now, he wants to remain with the show as long as it continues to get renewed by NBC. (--In other words, Christopher is cool with staying onboard . . . as long as he and NBC can agree on contract terms.)


WHITNEY HOUSTON CANCELS MORE SHOWS . . . AND SAYS SHE'S FINE:

WHITNEY HOUSTON has now postponed the first four shows of her European tour, after being hospitalized for an "upper respiratory infection." --She's out of the hospital, and the tour is now set to start next Tuesday in England. Make-up dates for the four canceled shows have yet to be announced. -Regardless of what DRUG RUMORS you might see on the Internet, Whitney is FINE. --She tells "People", quote, "[The rumors are] ridiculous. At this point, I just don't respond. I don't even read it. I'm feeling great. My health is terrific. But this is a time when I get a lot of allergies. I'm just ready to move on and continue my tour."


NICKI MINAJ IS NO LONGER ONBOARD RIHANNA'S TOUR:

Earlier this week, rapper NICKI MINAJ was announced as one of the openers on RIHANNA'S summer tour, along with KE$HA. Well, now she's decided to bail. --On Twitter, she wrote, quote, "I will not be going out on RiRi's tour. I've decided [to] use that time [for] the completion of my album. Hope u understand." --That's all we have for now. There's no word if she'll be replaced.


USHER HAS KNOCKED JUSTIN BIEBER OFF THE TOP OF THE CHARTS:

Maybe ERYKAH BADU should strip in Dallas more often. "New Amerykah, Part Two: Return of the Ankh" debuts at #4 this week, after moving 110,000 copies. --But the top spot goes to USHER. His latest, "Raymond vs. Raymond", sold 329,000 copies and knocks JUSTIN BIEBER down to #2. Here are the Top 10 albums . . .
1.) (NEW) "Raymond vs. Raymond", Usher (329,000 copies)2.) "My World 2.0", Justin Bieber (291,000 copies)3.) "Now That's What I Call Music! 33" (123,000 copies)4.) (NEW) "New Amerykah, Part Two", Erykah Badu (110,000 copies)


LIL WAYNE HAS A BIZARRE JOB IN THE CLINK:

LIL WAYNE'S ex-wife, ANTONIA "TOYA" CARTER, says that Wayne has an interesting job at Rikers Island prison. --She says, quote, "They got him on suicide watch for other prisoners. He watches the crazy prisoners and makes sure they don't kill themselves. He likes the job even though they don't pay him much." --Toya added that Wayne is, quote, "doing OK . . . [and] getting along with everybody."


50 CENT SAYS THERE ARE DOUBLE STANDARDS IN VIDEO CENSORSHIP:

50 CENT liked the video for "Telephone", by LADY GAGA and BEYONCÉ, but he says it proves that there are double standards regarding censorship. --He says, quote, "It's interesting how [the censors] let things go. Standards on each artist are held completely different. It's their personal perception of your intentions. --"There's actually a shot [in 'Telephone'] at the table in the diner where it's just [breasts]. It looks great. But if I shot the same shot in my music video, they would make me edit it immediately. --"Even if I had a female talent that was a recognizable talent that I asked to be a part of the project, they wouldn't let that go. They'd think in some way you are taking advantage of a woman for marketing purposes. It's different standards."


KELLIE PICKLER SAYS SHE HAS "NO IDEA" IF TAYLOR SWIFT IS DATING "GLEE'S" CORY MONTEITH:

TAYLOR SWIFT may be enormously famous, but for my money, her biggest accomplishment so far is her ability to keep everyone in the dark about who she's actually dating. And that includes her friend and touring partner KELLIE PICKLER. --"Okay!" magazine asked Kellie if she's met Taylor's alleged boyfriend, "Glee's" CORY MONTEITH. Kellie said, quote, "I don’t even know who that is. I've never seen the show. I don't watch television, and I have no idea." --To be fair, Kellie says she and Taylor have kind of grown apart . . . even though they've been touring together since last year. --She says, quote, "We both are even busier this year than last year. You really see each other backstage passing to go onto the stage, and that's about it."


NAZZY’S RANDOM STUFF

47% OF AMERICANS WILL PAY *NO* FEDERAL INCOME TAXES THIS YEAR:

Your taxes are due a week from today. But before you start freaking out about how much money you owe the Feds, think about THIS . . . --47% of American households won't pay ANY federal income taxes for 2009. That's because they either earned too little money, or had enough credits, deductions and exemptions to cancel out their liability.--Take a family of four earning $50,000 a year: --They're entitled to a standard deduction of $11,400, and four personal deductions of $3,650 apiece. That leaves their taxable income at $24,000 . . . meaning they owe $2,769 in federal income taxes.--If their kids are both younger than 17, the family gets two child tax credits of $1,000 apiece. --And after their $800 Making Work Pay Credit . . . which was part of PRESIDENT OBAMA'S economic stimulus plan last year . . . the government would actually OWE the family $31. --To be fair, the family would still have to pay state and local taxes, and federal payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare. But so does everyone else. --Overall, the breakdown looks like this: The top 10% of earners . . . meaning households earning an average of $366,400 . . . will pay 73% of all income taxes collected by the federal government. --Meanwhile, the bottom 40% of earners can all expect a refund from the federal government. --Now, as much as you may want to, you can't totally blame . . . or thank . . . the Obama administration. Here's why: --In 2007, just 38% of American households didn't have to pay federal income taxes. But in 2008, 49% didn't pay federal income taxes. --In other words, MORE Americans are paying federal income taxes after Obama's first year in office, than in PRESIDENT BUSH'S last year in office. (Yahoo News)


A WOMAN CRASHED UNDER A BILLBOARD FOR CAR CRASH VICTIMS:

Yesterday, 51-year-old Yolande Raymond of Tampa, Florida, passed out at the wheel of her car while driving, and crashed into a beauty salon. --Ironically, the accident happened directly underneath a billboard advertising help for victims of car accidents. It's deliciously HI-larious. -Yolande's injuries are serious, but not life threatening. No one else was injured in the crash. (WTSP News 10 - Tampa)


THE SECRET SERVICE DENIED OBAMA'S REQUEST FOR A HYBRID LIMO:

Last week, PRESIDENT OBAMA spoke at a plant in North Carolina that makes battery components for hybrid cars. Afterward, he was asked if he would ever consider using a hybrid limo to get around. --Obama said that when he first got Secret Service protection, he asked if he could ride in a hybrid. But the Secret Service DENIED his request. --It's because the limo Obama rides in is loaded up with protective armor plating and glass, which makes it TWO or THREE times heavier than a normal car. Apparently, a hybrid engine wouldn't be powerful enough to make it accelerate. --As Obama put it, quote, "The cars that I'm in are like tanks . . . There's a little bit of extra stuff on there." (AutoBlog / CBS News)


THE BABY NAMES GAINING POPULARITY THE FASTEST THIS YEAR ARE CASTIEL FOR BOYS AND SOOKIE FOR GIRLS:

There's a popular baby name website called BabyNameWizard.com. Its operators keep a database called the "Namipedia," which tracks baby naming trends based on Internet research. -Here's a look at the ten most popular girl names this year:
#1.) Charlotte #2.) Olivia#3.) Elizabeth#4.) Amelia#5.) Emily#6.) Ava#7.) Ella#8.) Claire#9.) Emma#10.) Violet
--And here are the ten most popular boy names this year:
#1.) Oliver#2.) Owen#3.) Henry#4.) Liam#5.) James#6.) Jack#7.) Alexander#8.) Benjamin#9.) William#10.) Noah
--Meanwhile, the five girl names that are rising in popularity the fastest are:
#1.) Sookie#2.) Tenley#3.) Eloise#4.) Genevieve#5.) Piper--And the five boy names that are rising in popularity the fastest are:
#1.) Castiel
#2.) Declan#3.) Atreyu#4.) Dashiell#5.) Phineas (Parent Dish)(--You can link to the "Namipedia" here . . .)http://www.babynamewizard.com/namipedia


ONE IN 600 WOMEN DON'T REALIZE THEY'RE PREGNANT UNTIL THEY GO INTO LABOR:

According to two new studies in Europe, ONE in 600 women have no idea they're pregnant until they go into labor. (???) --And it's not just young, first-time mothers who miss the signals. A lot of the time, it happens to women in their forties who've given birth before, but weren't aware they could still get pregnant. --As reported in one German study, quote: --"The absence of many physical symptoms of pregnancy, inexperience, general inattentiveness to bodily cues, intense psychological conflicts about the pregnancy, and external stresses can contribute to the denial in otherwise well-adjusted women." (London Times)


HERE ARE TEN RULES NO AIRLINE WOULD EVER ENFORCE . . . BUT MAYBE SHOULD:

Flying sucks. And if you're sitting next to someone who smells . . . or is hammered . . . or has a crying baby, it can be downright miserable. --With that in mind, the people over at AOL Travel came up with a list of ten rules no airline would ever really enforce . . . but maybe SHOULD. Check it out:
#1.) Passengers can only place their carry-on bags in the overhead bin directly above their seat. All other overhead bins are off-limits.#2.) Passengers who are already drunk should be banned from boarding.#3.) Airlines are required to tell passengers about any hidden surcharges or in-flight fees before they buy their ticket. And if there's a delay, passengers should be told exactly what's going on, and how long it will be before the situation is fixed. #4.) All kids are required to have their own seat.#5.) Passengers should be banned from violating the personal space of others. If an obese passenger can't comfortably fit in their seat without spilling over into the next seat, they have to buy two tickets.#6.) Passengers are required to have proper hygiene. That means no taking off your shoes and socks. And if you've got B.O., airlines should be required to have an emergency stash of deodorant on hand.#7.) Airlines should be forced to THOROUGHLY clean planes after every flight.#8.) Passengers should be required to keep the noise down. And yes, this includes all you loudmouths who immediately get on your cell phone the moment the plane touches down. #9.) All airlines should be required to institute dual boarding procedures. That's when passengers are boarded from the front and back of the plane at the same time.#10.) Passengers with tight connections should always be allowed to get off the plane first.(AOL Travel)


THE NEW YORK YANKEES ARE WORTH $1.6 BILLION:

Every year, "Forbes" compiles a list of the most valuable franchises in Major League Baseball. It's based on revenue earned from ticket sales and TV deals, player salaries, operating costs, and a bunch of other factors. --The five most valuable baseball franchises are:
#1.) New York Yankees - $1.6 BILLION#2.) Boston Red Sox - $870 MILLION#3.) New York Mets - $858 MILLION#4.) Los Angeles Dodgers - $727 MILLION#5.) Chicago Cubs - $726 MILLION--And the five least valuable baseball franchises are:#1.) Pittsburgh Pirates - $289 MILLION#2.) Oakland Athletics - $295 MILLION#3.) Tampa Bay Rays - $316 MILLION#4.) Florida Marlins - $317 MILLION#5.) Toronto Blue Jays - $326 MILLION--In other words, the Yankees are worth nearly twice as much as the next most valuable team, the Red Sox. And they're worth five and a half times more than the Pirates. Or look at it this way . . . --Theoretically, if the Pirates can offer a player a contract worth $20 MILLION, the Yankees can just as easily offer one worth $110 MILLION. And you wonder why the Pirates haven't won the World Series since 1979. (???) --Here are a few other interesting stats: --The average baseball franchise turned a profit of $17.4 MILLION last year. Only two franchises lost money on the year . . . the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Detroit Tigers. --Despite being one of the least valuable teams, the Florida Marlins managed to turn the highest profit last year . . . $46.1 MILLION --Overall, the average Major League Baseball team is worth $491 MILLION. That's up 2% from last year. (Forbes)(--You can link to the full list here . . .)http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/33/baseball-valuations-10_The-Business-Of-Baseball_Rank.html


NAZZY’S SILLY VIDEOS OF THE DAY

#1.) HERE'S TAIWAN'S VERSION OF SUSAN BOYLE:

There's a kid named Lin Yu Chun who's being called "the next Susan Boyle." On a singing competition in Taiwan called "Super Star Avenue", he nailed the Whitney Houston version of "I Will Always Love You". And I mean nailed it. You'd never know he looked like a miniature Asian version of Newt Gingrich with a bowl cut.(--Search for "Taiwanese Boy Sings "I Will Always Love You".) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RgXC303Q5A

#2.) A FEMALE BASKETBALL PLAYER TRIED TO DUNK BY JUMPING OFF ANOTHER PLAYER'S BACK, BUT SHE FAILED MISERABLY:

During a basketball game, a girl got down on her hands and knees in front of the basket, and another girl tried to dunk by jumping off her back. But she fell on her face instead. (--Search for "Kelsey's dunk ahahahaha." She tries the dunk at :11.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvvmiAbPBss

#3.) A BAND TEACHER SMASHED A KID'S VIOLIN, THEN REVEALED IT WAS JUST AN APRIL FOOLS' DAY PRANK:

Students were shocked when their orchestra teacher smashed a kid's violin and broke the bow over his knee. Then the teacher and the kid revealed it was just an April Fools' Day prank. (--Search for "band teacher loses it April Fools." It happens at :30.)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i66939hY838

#4.) CHECK OUT DUELING COMEDY SKETCHES WHERE GUYS ACT LIKE GIRLS, AND GIRLS ACT LIKE GUYS:

A comedy group called Harvard Sailing Team did a sketch with guys complaining about their weight and craving frozen yogurt. And another video of girls watching sports and complaining about their nagging boyfriends. --Search for "Harvard Sailing Team Boys Will Be Girls" and "Girls Will Be Boys.")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gspaoaecNAghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paNiEdFTvuA


SEVEN SURPRISING THINGS THAT MAKE ALLERGIES WORSE:

Sixty million Americans suffer from seasonal allergies. And there are a lot of things that can make your allergies worse that you probably wouldn't think of. Here are the top seven from "Prevention" magazine . . .

#1.) STRESS. In 2008, researchers at Ohio State University found that people with allergies had worse symptoms after they took a stress test -So if you're stressed out, compensate by making sure you get enough sleep. Being tired makes your allergies worse all by itself. Plus, it raises your stress level.

#2.) A GLASS OF WINE WITH DINNER. Researchers think the bacteria and yeast in alcohol can produce histamines, which are the chemicals that cause allergy symptoms. And avoiding alcohol can make your symptoms less noticeable.

#3.) WAITING TOO LONG TO TAKE ALLERGY MEDICINE. Antihistamines work best if you take them before you have any symptoms. So you're supposed to start taking allergy meds a few weeks before allergy season begins. --In other words, if you had allergies last Spring, start taking medication now, even if you don't have any symptoms yet.

#4.) WASHING YOUR SHEETS IN COLD WATER. Researchers in South Korea found that washing bed sheets in hot, 140-degree water killed 100% of the dust mites. But a WARM wash at 104 degrees only killed 6.5%.

#5.) HOUSEPLANTS. More than 75% of people with hay fever are also allergic to at least one common houseplant. Researchers found that varieties of ficus, yucca, ivy, palm, orchid, and fern are the most irritating plants for allergy sufferers.

#6.) FRIENDS WHO SMOKE. Just being around cigarette smoke and getting it on your clothing can make your allergies worse. In fact, researchers in Japan studied kids with at least one parent who smoked heavily. --And 80% of the kids showed signs of nasal allergies.

#7.) ONLY SHOWERING IN THE MORNING. Pollen sticks to your clothes and gets stuck in your hair. So if your allergies are bad, jump in the shower as soon as you get home from work, then put on new clothes. --You don't have to take a full shower. Just rinse yourself off. (Pevention.com)